Visible index or record strip



Sept. 18 1945. H. J. HOPKINS 2,

VISIBLE INDEX 0R RECORD STRIP Original Fild 0ct. 27, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l FRI/6%)?" Sept. 18, 1945. H. J. HOPKINS 2,385,082

VISIBLE INDEX 0R RECORD STRIP Original Filed 0ct.- 2'7} 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 p 1945." H. J. HOPKINS 2,385,082

VISIBLE INDEX OIIRECORD STRIP Original Filed Oct. 27, 1941 s Shets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 18, 1945 VISIBLE INDEX R RECORDSTRIP Harry J. Hopkins; Chicago, 111., assignor to Acme Visible Records, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Original application October 27, 1941, Serial No.

416,652, now Patent No. 2,327,525, dated August 24, 1943. Divided and this application July 24, 1942, Serial No. 452,245 a 3 Claims.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 416,652, filed October 27, 1941 now Patent No. 2,327,525, dated August 24, 1943.

This invention relates to improvements in visible index or record strips and refers specifically to strips of the class described which carry lines adjacent or at their longitudinal marginal edges distinctively colored from the faces of the strips.

In the use of visible indices or records, such, for example,- as described in the issued patent to Frank D. Powell, Patent No. 1,594,112, issued July 27, 1926, difiiculty is sometimes encountered in conveniently associating indicia which appear ad jacent one end of a strip with the correlated indicia which appear adjacent the opposite end of the strip. When in use, the strips are positioned close to each other upon a suitable frame, such as described in the Powell patent hereinbefore identified, and in view of this fact the lines of demarcation between adjacent strips are not striking and, without the use of an assisting straight-edge, the eye of the operator has diificulty in traversing the length of a predetermined strip to associate indicia adjacent one end of the strip with the correlated indicia adjacent the opposite end. v i

As a result, errors are likely to occur by the inadvertent raising or lowering of the operators eye, and the indicia at one end of a predetermined strip may be improperly associated with indicia at the opposite ends of adjacent strips. 7

My present invention contemplates the provision of index strips of the class described having lines at or adjacent the longitudinal marginal edgesof each strip of a color distinct from the color of the face of thestrip whereby a guide is provided for the eye of the operator in scanning the length of a strip. v

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and following detailed description.

"In the drawings: 1

Fig. 1 is a transversesectional view of a suitable machine for carrying out my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section, of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig, 3 is a fragmentary view similar to that shown in Fig. 2 of a modification of the machine. FigJfl is a face view of a pluralityof strips having" marginal lines in accordance with my. vention; L

Fig. 5 is a similar view' of the strips shown in Fig. 4 without such marginal'guide lines.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, lateral edge view of the sheet material illustrated in Fig. 4. a

Fig. '7 is a still more enlarged fragmentary lateral edge view of .the sheet material of Fig. 6, further illustrating diagrammatically the partial severing of the sheet material into strip form,.

and the deposition of ink at the time of cutting.

Fig. 8 is a lateral end view of a single severed strip; and

Fig. 9 isa perspective view of a single severed strip. Referring in detail to the drawings, I indicates a machine for cutting strips such as those described in the-Powell patent hereinbefore identified: The machine 1 comprises a pair of spaced frames 22 which carry a platform 3 at their upper edges. A structure comprising spaced frame members 4 4 is mounted upon the platform 3. A shaft 5 is journalled adjacent its opposite ends in the framemembers 2, -said shaft carrying'intermediate the frame members a bed roll -6 which is keyed to the shaft as indicated at l in Fig. 1-. A shaft 8 is journalled in the opposite frame members 4; and carries a roll 9 which iskeyed to the shaft 8 by means of key 10.

The machine 1 is described only with regard to itsessentials. A machine for cutting the indexed' -strips hereinbefore described is fullyset forth in the patent to Frank D. Powell Patent No. 1,804,642 issuedMay 12, 1931.

Of course it isto be understood that the machine described in Powell Patent No. 1,804,642 may be employed or any suitable strip cutting machine can be utilized in carrying out my present invention.

The roll Scarries a plurality of axially spaced, circumferential knives ll, andin employing the machine to cut index strips, the periphery of the bed ro1l 6 fis"preferably disposed substantially flush with the platform 3. In cutting the strips, a sheet--12 from which the strips may be cut is passed between the rolls 6 and 9, and the knives ll function'to properly cut the sheet into strips of appropriate width. 1 I p As'f'ully described in the Powell Patent No. 1,594;1-1-2,-the' visible index strips are formed from a shet of relatively thin wood veneer. A sheet of paper is adhesively united to each faceof the woodveneer sheet and in passing the sheet, indi cated as'sheetf 12, between rolls 6 and 9, the'r'olls are-so adjusted with respect to each other that the "knives 11 cut the upper paper "sheetand also the sheet of wood veneer but leave the lowerpaper sheet intact whereby the sheet of strips may be inserted in a typewriter, for instance, in sheet form, and indicia such as shown at l3 and I4 in Fig. 5 may be inscribed upon the faces of the individual strips. Subsequently, the strips are separated and inserted in. the manner described in Powell Patent No. 1,594,112 in a suitable frame.

Fig. 5 indicates the position of a plurality of such strips when held by a frame (not shown); It will be noted that the longitudinal edges of adjacent strips are disposed very close to each other and that a comparatively faint line of demarcation exists between the strips An.- operator attempting to utilize such a visible index system may, for example, wishto ascertain the credit rating of Richard Rea?" The eye of the.

operator in traversing the length of? the strip dedicated to Richard Roe," may raise or lower during the operation and may inadvertently associate the rating AAA belonging to J ohn'Doe," with Richard; Roej" or there isthe danger of the operators. eye lowering to the. strip:dedicated to Frank Smith and ascribing the rating DD to Richard Roel It-can readily be appreciated. that when alarge number of. these indiciav are presented to the: eye, of theoperatonsuch errors are: very likely to occur.

This possibility of error is attributablev primarily to the fact that heretofore nostriking line of demarcation has been provided between adjacent strips since the strips are usually all of. the same base color and the cutting operation tends to form a fillet along the longitudinal edges of the face of the individual strips, which fillet partakes of the. color of. the face sheet.

In accordance with my invention, I provide. a trough l5 which may be mounted. by suitable brackets I6 upon the upper edges of the supporting membersl l.v The trough. I5 is adaptedto'contain wicking. IT, or other absorbent-material and the lower portion of the trough may be open as indicated at l8. in Fig. 2. The trough i5 is. so positioned with respect to the rol-1- 9 that the knives H are wiped by the wicking material H. A- quantity of ink or other coloring liquid is deposited. in the trough I 5: and saturates the wicking i1 whereby a film of coloring material is carried upon the lateralsurfaces of the-knives H. Incutting the-upper paper sheet and the veneer comprising the sheet l2, the films ofcoloring material carried' upon the knives H are transferred to the upper edges of the scored strips; In this. manner the dual operation is performed of cutting the strips and simultaneously coloring those. portions of the strips adjacent their longitudinal edges.

A plurality of such strips, after thee sheet l2 has-been properly inscribed and the stripsbroken, appears in the frame (notshown') as. indicated inFig. 4. It will be noted that in correlating theindicia. l3" with the respective indicia M, the eye assisted by the colored lines of demarcation [9. and the possibility of error. is accordingly reduced. 7

If desired the trough [5 may carry aplurality ofpartitions as shown in Fig. 3 and absorbent material suchas cotton Wicking 21, 22' and 23 maybe inserted. in the spaces provided between adjacent partitions 20. It will. be notedthat the knives H are eachbrought-into contact with a separate mass of wicking'. For instance, thefirst knife H. may be wiped by the wicking 2!, the secondknife by the. wicking- 22, and the third knife by'the wicking. 23 and. so on throughout thelength of the roll, I

If desired, the wicking contained in each of the separate compartments may be impregnated or saturated with a distinctive coloring material. For instance, the wicking 2| may be saturated with-a red pigment; the wicking 22 with a blue pigment. The wicking. 23 may be pigmented red and. alternate wickings. may be red and blue. Obviously by the provision of separate compart ments for the wicking which wipe the individual knives,.any desired arrangement of colors can be obtained and", hence, these distinctive colors may be transferred to the longitudinal edges of the strips.

Referring: to: theenlarged detailed views of Figs. 6 to9 the sheet material I2 may be composed of. an intermediate layer 24 of wood, an upper facelayer of'paper 25, and a lower backing layer of paper 26.. Due to the relative softness of the paper in layer 25 with respect to wood layer 24, thecutt ing operation illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 tends to form a fillet along-the longitudinaledges of the faces. of the individual strips. aspreviously described. The ink wiped from;- a rotary knife I l is deposited essentially along this fillet to pro duce. aline 1-9, which. line while being essentially formedon the longitudinal defining edges of the strips, is also caused. to be produced adjacent thereto on the face of the strip or rather on the fillet-like formation, or to lie at. a point where the facing of the strip converges to the longi tudinal edgesof the strip, thatis, on the resulting inclined edge or blunt, substantially arcuatecorners of the strips.

It is tobe understood,.of course, thatthe strips materialsothat. a film thereof may be=imparted to- 40 the longitudinal edges ofthe strips. during, the.

cutting operation.

While I have described andillustrated. the concept of my invention. as appliedv specifically to;

theindex strip shownin Patent No. 1,59%,112,v it is to be understood that my invention in-its broad aspects includes allof-. the: conventional indexstrips now in: general use. Itisnot intended that the invention is limited in any way to the type of index strips shownin saidPatent No; 1,594,112.

Forexample. in oneindex strip:structure no.w in:

general usethe' strips are made: of W-OOdi veneer faced with. paper united to. a backing sheetfrom which the separated: strips are peeled. or. stripped.

In. another structurein commercial use-the strips comprises a. cor-e of. relatively inexpensive fiber such; as. chip board faced with. a print-receiving: surface. These strips are completely severed: and are: united by means of two parallel: adhesive tapes. disposed: at right. angles; tor the length ofi the index strips.

. I" claim. as.- my invention::.

1'. Separate flexible index; strips of the: class"- depth thereof, to permit subsequent separation into individual index strips, one face of the partially severed sheet presenting a severed appear- I ance and the opposite face of the sheet exhibiting an unsevered appearance, the corners of the merging severed faces and side edges defining said strips being blunt, said blunt corners being inscribed with a line of color contrasting with the color of the face of said strips and visible from the face of the strips.

HARRY J. HOPKINS. 

